University of Reading

Overview

WUSCA Overview ranking
The overall ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

121st/126

The University of Reading want their students to think laterally, to have an impact and to make a difference. It’s in their ethos and mindset: they call it being RED.

The University encourages their students to see the bigger picture. To go beyond the textbooks and dare to be different. If you want to make an impact, this is the place to make it happen.

At the University of Reading, learning goes beyond the transfer of knowledge. By studying there, you’ll be part of a globally recognised and life-changing movement of people.

One of the top 200 universities worldwide, the University continually increases their global reach. Their research is rated of international standing and you’ll learn alongside passionate academics. Their work has a real-world impact and it can directly benefit your learning: the discoveries made today could be heard in the lecture theatre tomorrow.

As a student, you’ll be maximising your potential and competitive edge. 94% of the University’s graduates find themselves in work or further study six months after graduating, through placements, work experience and dedicated careers support. (Based on the 2015-16 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey of 2,538 University of Reading First Degree Leavers, of which 78% responded).

Three campuses make up the University - Whiteknights campus and London Road campus are within walking distance of Reading town centre.

And if it’s a beautiful environment you’re after, the University of Reading has 130 hectares of stunning parkland, which earned their Whiteknights campus its seventh consecutive Green Flag Award in 2017.

There are more than 200 courses to choose from, in a wide range of subjects, so if you’re ready to make a difference, BE RED.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Fantastic! Tutors are very supportive, employability is a massive focus and the campus itself and student life are 10/10.”

“University of Reading has offered me more opportunities than ever both academically and extra-curricular.”

“Great, have loved my experience at UoR.”

Job Prospects

WUSCA Job Prospects ranking
The Job Prospects ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

100th/126

There is a huge range of support on offer for students to help increase employability after graduating. This has resulted in 94% of graduates finding work or going into further education within 6 months of graduating.

Their RED Award has been put in place to offer students the chance to develop new skills and gain experience through a variety of activities – including volunteering and training.

A careers team are also on hand to help students with all stages of the job hunt, from writing CVs to arranging mock interviews. There is also a Reading Internship Scheme, offering paid, project based internships and Thrive, a career mentoring programme – helping students transition from university life to employment.

Regular career events are also held at the University, aimed at inspiring students into finding a career path that’s right for them.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Placement help was good. Lots of career events.”

“Great! We go on a placement year and have many opportunities to make connections with people and learn skills we need to work and succeed in interviews.”

“Lots of talks and facilities available.”

Graduates in job/further study

Course and lecturers

WUSCA Course and lecturers ranking
The Course and lecturers ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

122nd/126

Choose the University of Reading and you’ll be guided by expert lecturers who are determined to help you to succeed. Some of the world’s leading academics choose to work at the University of Reading.

Join the student community and you can learn from them too. You’ll enjoy a high-quality education, delivered by staff with a real passion for their subject and backed by a range of outstanding resources.

The flexible courses enable you to study the areas you’re most passionate about, and you’ll receive a range of accessible academic support. You’ll also receive first-class support in helping you to identify your career goals and gain the skills and experience you need to achieve them.

The University’s degree courses are designed to give you more choice in what you study and how you study it. They offer more than 200 courses, in arts, social sciences, humanities, business and sciences. Most courses have a modular structure so you can specialise in the areas that interest you most, while still developing core subject knowledge.

Choosing between your favourite subjects can be difficult, especially when you know that the career you want requires a variety of skills. A joint honours course allows you to study two subjects in detail. Reading offers a wide range of joint honours courses, carefully designed so you can study the core modules from both areas. You will be equally at home in both departments, but you will have one personal tutor who will support you throughout your degree.

Whichever course you choose, you’ll be taught by passionate academics who are leaders in their fields and whose teaching is informed by the latest research. You’ll be encouraged to collaborate with experts who are working to tackle major global challenges and have opportunities to volunteer to work on real research projects so you can develop skills to help get you noticed when you graduate.

The University continually invests in the academic community, new technology and specialist facilities to keep their research at the forefront of discovery.

Classes - in addition to lectures - are taught in small seminar groups, which aim to encourage debate among students and teachers.

There are many ways the University helps make you more employable after graduation, including work placements, educational field trips and study abroad programmes on offer.

Applying learning to a workplace situation makes it all real and the University offers placement options to students on every course. Gain professional experience that counts towards your degree by carrying out a work placement or an internship, or by spending a year working in your chosen industry. This not only gives you valuable work experience, but boosts your confidence, too. Every course also includes an element on career management.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Staff are fantastic and I enjoy my course.”

“Great team of lecturers.”

“Enthusiastic lecturers”

Student union

WUSCA Student union ranking
The Student union ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

21st/126

There is an active students’ union, voted in the top ten in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2017. Independently led by five full-time student officers voted into the office each year, it aims to provide facilities, entertainment and opportunities for students.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Good choice of facilities and societies”

“Lots of clubs, regular communications”

“Good representation of students in their roles”

Accommodation

WUSCA Accommodation ranking
The Accommodation ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

88th/126

University accommodation at Reading is safe and secure, close to their Whiteknights and London Road campuses.

There’s a variety of rooms available, so you can choose to live in an en-suite, a traditional hall around a courtyard, or a shared flat in a modern residential block. Rent prices are all-inclusive, so utility bills, wi-fi, communal cleaning and basic contents insurance are included.

The halls are in a great location, either on the main Whiteknights campus or within a 15-minute walk. There are nearly 5,000 student bedrooms available, with catered, self-catered, en-suite or shared bathroom options available. All bedrooms are furnished, as a minimum, with a bed and mattress, a desk, desk light, desk chair, set of shelves and a wardrobe. There is also a vacuum cleaner in every flat.

Catered halls offer a flexible meal package at the catering outlet closest to your hall or at selected outlets around campus and they also have small communal kitchenettes with a microwave, fridge, kettle and toaster, so you can still prepare drinks and snacks outside normal catering hours.

In every self-catered hall, you’ll find a well-equipped kitchen. It’s the ideal option if you want total flexibility, if you have special dietary requirements, if you enjoy cooking – or if you think it’s time to study.

The University offers flexibility with a limited number of 38-week accommodation contracts alongside standard 40-week and 51-week contracts, and there are quieter lifestyle areas, single-gender flats and a number of adapted rooms available for students with disabilities and special requirements. Some accommodation is also available for families, couples and mature students.

For your peace of mind, all halls have dedicated security patrols, CCTV and friendly and experienced staff wardens on hand to support your welfare while in halls. There’s also a 24-hour halls hotline to deal quickly and efficiently with any issues that may arise.

Living in halls is a great way to meet people. The halls are run with a committee of students who have previously lived in your halls to show you around, help you settle in and arrange social events throughout the year. The resident experience programme, Your Halls Life, and the Students’ Union will help you settle into your hall community and meet new people. Social events are held throughout the year to make you feel right at home.

Halls are guaranteed for new full-time undergraduates who hold Reading as a firm

UCAS choice, apply for accommodation by 1 August and satisfy conditions of your academic offer by 31 August of your year of entry. Applications should be made online through the accommodation pages of your personal applicant portal; the University Admissions Office will send you information on how and when to apply.

After the first year, most students choose to move off campus into a shared, privately rented house with friends. The Students’ Union Advice Service can offer plenty of practical advice about what to look for in a private contract.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“My halls were very sociable, good way to make friends, very good standard, new/modern.”

“In halls our accommodation was excellent and new and clean.”

“Good value for money.”

Accommodation
This is the average annual cost for a full time student at this uni.

Source: Hotcourses 2017

£8,396.64

per annum

Living costs
This is the average annual cost of living for a student studying in the town where this uni is based.

Source: Hotcourses 2017

£14,508

per annum

Facilities

WUSCA Facilities ranking
The Facilities ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

126th/126

The University of Reading campus is like a small town in itself. There are food outlets, coffee shops, student bars and a nightclub run by the Students’ Union.

The University is investing in their facilities and are upgrading the library, which is currently undergoing a £40million refurbishment. This is due for completion in 2019 and will create extra study space and greater accessibility.

Library facilities are open 24 hours a day (except Saturday night) during term time and offers access to more than one million books available, plus a fully-equipped computer suite with online access to many thousands of e-journals, academic e-books and databases. There is also space to study if you want to escape to a quiet place.

Other facilities on campus include a Students’ Union shop selling branded university wear, a bookshop, Korean food store, hairdresser, bubble tea bar, printing service and cash machine. There is also an online campus jobs site where you can explore part-time work options, a sports park with a state-of-the-art fitness studio and a film theatre, which shows a range of independent and art-house films.

All these facilities are within easy reach of each other, including lecture halls and classrooms, plus there is free wi-fi across the campuses and in the halls of residence.

Student wellbeing is looked after with services including the nearby university medical practice and dental surgery, and student support centres with a helpdesk in several buildings across the campuses.

The University has a number of initiatives to ensure students can relax and feel secure in halls and on campus, plus regular security patrols and a dedicated emergency number.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Lots of resources available.”

“Have everything you need on campus.”

“I have everything I need at uni, the facilities are great.”

City life

WUSCA City life ranking
The City life ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

99th/126

Reading has a proud history of welcoming people from across the globe and, as it has grown and developed, it has become a truly vibrant and diverse community - one that’s great for socialising.

You’ll find a lively riverside bar and restaurant area, cinemas, major sports clubs and plenty of pubs, cafes and parks.

There’s loads to do in the evenings too, with clubs, gigs and rock nights, live global music, salsa dancing and comedy nights. And, of course, there are a variety of student events running throughout the week.

Reading has a thriving town centre with a range of places to meet up with friends, grab a drink and a bite to eat or just hang out and relax. In addition to the usual cafe chains, there are also some alternative, pop-up options. For all your shopping needs, The Oracle shopping centre and Broad Street Mall feature the big names in retail but there are independent shops around town, too, from vintage fashion to cult record shops. Reading has established itself as a year-round shopping destination.

Night owls are also well catered for in town. As well as new and exciting venues popping up, there are plenty of restaurants and places to eat. The riverside boasts bars and, when the night is over, the 24-hour bus services will whisk you home.

There are several venues for theatre and the arts, as well as historical buildings such as the soon-to-be-restored Reading Abbey. Parks and gardens abound, such as Forbury Gardens, which hosts food and craft beer markets, fairs and concerts.

Reading is on the tour trail for many bands and comedy acts, not to mention the home-grown talent in a number of theatre and dance companies.

Football can be watched at Reading FC, while Reading Hockey Club is well regarded in both the men’s and women’s sport.

For thousands of people, Reading is known for one thing: Reading Festival. This annual music festival will be within walking distance from your halls and presents a unique opportunity for Reading students. In 2017, the University once again teamed up with organiser Festival Republic to allow eight of their students the chance of a lifetime to report live from the festival and interview festival-goers and talent.

It takes around 20 minutes by bus or ten minutes to cycle from the University of Reading into the town centre, where there are cycle parking areas. There is also a reliable bus service around the town.

If you want explore further afield to , London is less than an hour away on the train - with high-speed links straight into London Paddington - and it’s also easy to get to the cities of Bristol, Bath and Cardiff. The nearest airports are London Heathrow and London Gatwick, both linked to Reading by coach or train. The M4, which connects London with South Wales, is just on the edge of town and easily accessible.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Really nice town, lots to do and never far from nature.”

“The clubs in town are good and people are friendly.”

“Catered to students and good value for money.”

Cost of a pint
This is the average cost of a pint.

Source: Hotcourses 2017

£2.80 - £3.50

per pint

Clubs and Societies

WUSCA Clubs and Societies ranking
The Clubs and Societies ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

62nd/126

There are more than 150 clubs and societies for you to join, where you can meet like-minded people who share your interests, take part in events and learn a new skill. These include the Harry Potter Society, the Baking Society and the Theme Park Society, where discounted tickets to theme parks are available to members.

Sport clubs range from football and rugby to clay pigeon shooting and yogalates. These are just a few examples of current societies on offer. There is also a student newspaper, TV and radio station.

Student interns also work behind the scenes with the press team, social media bloggers and photographers, getting the opportunity to shadow the professionals and create original online content for the university’s social media channels.

If none of the clubs take your fancy, students can create their own.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Wide range and sense of community.”

“Everything to offer- real variety of sports & activities to join.”

“Inclusive and fun.”

Student support

WUSCA Student support ranking
The Student support ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA for short).

110th/126

Support available to students includes a free counselling service, disability support, a financial help service for any problems you might face with student loans or budgeting your money each month, childcare and a separate support service for international students. The university also offers advice and guidance through our Student Financial Support Team, and the Students’ Union has an Advice Service offering money and funding advice to all students.

For academic support, you’ll be allocated a tutor for any queries throughout the year and Peer Support is a listening service run by students at the University, who offer a friendly and confidential chat over tea and biscuits.

University of Reading students on Whatuni said:

“Academic tutor, counselling services and disability advisory team have been great.”

“Great advice and support from health advisers and tutors.”

“Personal tutors always there to support you.”

Fees

UK: £9,250

International: £15,300 – 18,400

Scholarships/ Bursaries

The University of Reading understand that finances are an important factor in your decision about where to study.

They firmly believe that money concerns shouldn’t be a barrier to accessing education and so they make every effort to ensure that you can study there, whatever your financial circumstances. There is a range of loans and bursaries available to you, which you can find out about on the University’s website. Bursary options include:

Care Leavers Bursary

£1,000 is given to first year students who have been in care before the age of 25. £500 is given each academic year after that.

Chemistry Scholar

£1,000 is awarded to students who have secured their first choice studying Chemistry and who have achieved AAA at A level – including an A in Chemistry.

Disability Support Fund

£2,500 can be given to students (assessed on individual cases), who have a disability.

The Ede & Ravenscroft International Experience Bursary

£500 - £1,000 is awarded to students undertaking an international experience (outside of the EU) to help with expenses.

Ewan Page Scholarship

£130 in book tokens is awarded to the three highest achieving students starting their first year of study in ICMA, Modern Languages and Psychology.

Placement Bursaries

£200 - £1,000 is give to students undertaking a placement to help with the cost. Eligible if your household income is less than £25,000.

Reading Bursary

£1,000 is given to full-time undergraduate students whose household income falls below £25,000.

Sports Scholarships

Up to £4,000 is eligible to students competing at regional level or higher in a sports game.

Study and Travel Fund

Between £25 - £150 is given to help students in need of extra financial help towards study related activities, such as field trips, dissertation printing and course material.

Undergraduate Professional Work Experience Bursary

£500 is awarded to students undertaking a professional work placement (of 6 weeks or more) to help with costs.

These services are available to you whether you’re applying for support before you start at the University or managing your money while you’re there.

If you have any questions about money, don’t hesitate to ask their team. The University is there to help you realise your potential and will support you to make that happen.

Academic strengths

Some of the world’s leading academics work at the University of Reading. Their focus on cutting-edge research - covering a wide range of subjects, from climate change to heart disease - not only has a real-world impact but also directly benefits your learning.

Teaching is informed by the latest research development and innovative teaching methods. If their academics make a discovery one day, you could hear about it in the lecture theatre the next.

In fact, Reading academics are recognised for engaging students in developments from the forefront of research, scholarship and practice. And that’s just one of the reasons why they received a Silver award from the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework’s assessment panel.

The University’s lecturers are inspiring the next generation through their teaching, while positively influencing the world through their research. For example, for 30 years, Professor Matthew Almond has been sharing his enthusiasm for Chemistry at the University of Reading. Professor Almond’s commitment to education has earned him Matthew National Teaching Fellow status, a prestigious award given in recognition of outstanding impact on the student learning experience.

Another lecturer having a positive impact on the world is Professor Hannah Cloke, from the Department of Geography and Environmental Science and Department of Meteorology.

Flooding is one of the most common and destructive natural disasters on the planet, killing thousands of people and devastating homes, businesses and livelihoods. Professor Cloke develops new techniques to improve early-warning systems in flood-prone areas, helping people to prepare for floods and, as a result, save lives.

Alongside her research, for which she won a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Impact Award, she has advised the UK government and helps to shape environmental policy across the world.

Professor Cloke’s research feeds directly into undergraduate studies at Reading. She currently teaches modules on forecasting and flooding in the UK. The university has recently provided students with opportunities to network with leading employers such as the Environment Agency, UK Met Office and Red Cross Climate Centre.

Whichever area you choose to study, the University of Reading puts students at the heart of the learning experience.

Entry requirements

For information on specific entry requirements, head to the university’s website.